The Sons of Korah By Mark Mayberry 4/27/2008 Introduction The sons of Korah were of the tribe of Levi, descended through Kohath and Izhar (Exodus 6:16-27, esp. vs. 16, 18, 21, 24). Exodus 6:16-27... 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath and Merari; and the length of Levi s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel; and the length of Kohath s life was one hundred and thirty-three years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram married his father s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the length of Amram s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. 23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25 Aaron s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers households of the Levites according to their families. 26 It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts. 27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the sons of Israel from Egypt; it was the same Moses and Aaron. (NASB95) Judgment Upon the Father Korah joined with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 leaders of the congregation in rebellion against Moses and Aaron; as evidence of divine judgment, the earth swallowed them up, and they died before the Lord (Num. 16:1-40). Numbers 16:1-40... 1 Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, 2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. 3 They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord? 4 When Moses heard this, he fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His, and who is holy,
and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, 7 and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi! 8 Then Moses said to Korah, Hear now, you sons of Levi, 9 is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him? 12 Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, We will not come up. 13 Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? 14 Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up! 15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them. 16 Moses said to Korah, You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. 17 Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan. 18 So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 19 Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation. 20 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly. 22 But they fell on their faces and said, O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation? 23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 Speak to the congregation, saying, Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. 25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, 26 and he spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin. 27 So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. 28 Moses said, By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. 29 If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord. 31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel who were around them fled at their
outcry, for they said, The earth may swallow us up! 35 Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. 36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad. 38 As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel. 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, 40 as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the Lord; so that he will not become like Korah and his company just as the Lord had spoken to him through Moses. (NASB95) Mercy Upon the Sons Nevertheless, as evidence of divine mercy, the sons of Korah did not die (Num. 26:9-11). Numbers 26:9-11... 9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord, 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, so that they became a warning. 11 The sons of Korah, however, did not die. (NASB95) The sons of Korah are mentioned 16x in the Bible, including authorship attribution of several of the Psalms (Exo. 6:24; Num. 26:11; 1 Chron. 6:37; 9:19; 26:19; Ps. 42; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 49; 84; 85; 87; 88). Rather than rebel against God s established order, the descendants of Korah humbly served as gatekeepers and ministers of music in the house of the Lord (Ps. 84:10; cf. 1 Cor. 12:14-31). Psalm 84:10... 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. (NASB95) 1 Corinthians 12:14-31... 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you ; or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we
bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way. (NASB95) Gatekeepers of the Tabernacle The sons of Korah served as gatekeepers of the Tabernacle (1 Chron. 9:17-27; 26:12-19). 1 Chronicles 9:17-27... 17 Now the gatekeepers were Shallum and Akkub and Talmon and Ahiman and their relatives (Shallum the chief 18 being stationed until now at the king s gate to the east). These were the gatekeepers for the camp of the sons of Levi. 19 Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his relatives of his father s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent; and their fathers had been over the camp of the Lord, keepers of the entrance. 20 Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them previously, and the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the entrance of the tent of meeting. 22 All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds were 212. These were enrolled by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer appointed in their office of trust. 23 So they and their sons had charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, even the house of the tent, as guards. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides, to the east, west, north and south. 25 Their relatives in their villages were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them; 26 for the four chief gatekeepers who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the chambers and over the treasuries in the house of God. 27 They spent the night around the house of God, because the watch was committed to them; and they were in charge of opening it morning by morning. (NASB95) 1 Chronicles 26:12-19... 12 To these divisions of the gatekeepers, the chief men, were given duties like their relatives to minister in the house of the Lord. 13 They cast lots, the small and the great alike, according to their fathers households, for every gate. 14 The lot to the east fell to Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north. 15 For Obed-edom it fell to the south, and to his sons went the storehouse. 16 For Shuppim and Hosah it was to the west, by the gate of Shallecheth, on the ascending highway. Guard corresponded to guard. 17 On the east there were six Levites, on the north four daily, on the south four daily, and at the storehouse two by two. 18 At the Parbar on the west there were four at the highway and
two at the Parbar. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers of the sons of Korah and of the sons of Merari. (NASB95) Even in the Christian era, evangelists and elders must remain watchful of danger (Acts 20:28-32; Heb. 13:17). Acts 20:28-32... 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (NASB95) Hebrews 13:17... 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. (NASB95) Ministers of Music The sons of Korah served as ministers of music in the house of God (1 Chron. 6:31-38). 1 Chronicles 6:31-38... 31 Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark rested there. 32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; and they served in their office according to their order. 33 These are those who served with their sons: From the sons of the Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. (NASB95) Even in the Gospel dispensation, music remains an important part of worship (Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16-17). Ephesians 5:18-19... 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (NASB95) Colossians 3:16-17... 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NASB95)
Psalms of the Sons of Korah Psalms 42 describes a thirsting for God in times of trouble. Psalm 42... 1 For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, Where is your God? 4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. 6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. 8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life. 9 I will say to God my rock, Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, While they say to me all day long, Where is your God? 11 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (NASB95) Psalm 44 speaks of past deliverances and present trials. Psalm 44:1-3... 1 For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us The work that You did in their days, In the days of old. 2 You with Your own hand drove out the nations; Then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You spread them abroad. 3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them. (NASB95) Psalm 45 celebrates the king s marriage. Psalm 45:6-9... 6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows. 8 All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad. 9 Kings daughters are among Your noble ladies; At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir. (NASB95) Psalm 46 praises God as the refuge of his people. Psalm 46:1-3... 1 For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of
the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. (NASB95) Psalm 47 exalts God as the King of the earth. Psalm 47:1-4... 1 For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy. 2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth. 3 He subdues peoples under us And nations under our feet. 4 He chooses our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom He loves. Selah. (NASB95) Psalm 48 extols the beauty and glory of Zion. Psalm 48:1-3... 1 A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion in the far north, The city of the great King. 3 God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold. (NASB95) Psalm 49 describes the folly of trusting in riches. Psalm 49:5-9... 5 Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, 6 Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches? 7 No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him 8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever 9 That he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay. (NASB95) Psalm 84 expresses a longing for the Temple worship. Psalm 84:8-12... 8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah. 9 Behold our shield, O God, And look upon the face of Your anointed. 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You! (NASB95) Psalm 85 is a plea for God s mercy upon the nation. Psalm 85:4-7... 4 Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your indignation toward us to cease. 5 Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? 6 Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? 7 Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord, And grant us Your salvation. (NASB95) Psalm 87 praises the privileges of citizenship in Zion. Psalm 87:1-3... 1 A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song. His foundation is in the holy mountains. 2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah. (NASB95)
Psalm 88 is a petition to be saved from death. Psalm 88:1-3... 1 A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choir director; according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation, I have cried out by day and in the night before You. 2 Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry! 3 For my soul has had enough troubles, And my life has drawn near to Sheol. (NASB95) Conclusion The Old Testament history of the house of Korah reveals the kindness and severity of God (Rom. 11:22). Romans 11:22... 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. (NASB95) Herein, we are reminded that the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor vice versa; rather, God judges mankind on an individual basis (Ezek. 18:1-20). Ezekiel 18:1-20... 1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children s teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live, declares the Lord God, you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. 4 Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. 5 But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, 6 and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period 7 if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 8 if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, 9 if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully he is righteous and will surely live, declares the Lord God. 10 Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother 11 (though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and defiles his neighbor s wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits abomination, 13 he lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head. 14 Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father s sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise. 15 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor s wife, 16 or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 17 he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father s iniquity, he will surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good
among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity. 19 Yet you say, Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father s iniquity? When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. (NASB95)